One of the most important events in a young person’s life is the purchase of a vehicle and if you are unfortunate enough, as many of us are, to have to buy a used vehicle, well, you might already be a tad aggravated at the process. Maybe you cannot find the right color or the right make or model vehicle that you really want and even if you do find that, is the vehicle a sound one? Does it run the way it should for its age? These questions and more plague those of us who cannot afford a brand new vehicle, but did you ever think about asking whether a vehicle has been submerged completely in water before?
Flooded vehicles being sold without telling the consumer that they have been flooded is a bit more common than you might think. Unfortunately, most of us who go to purchase a used car do not think to ask about this or even check for signs of water damage before we sign the final sale papers. There are a few things that you can do to check and make sure if a vehicle has been flooded before.
Check the upholstery. If it does not appear to match the rest of the vehicle, such as the dashboard and other interior parts of the car, it may have been taken up and replaced due to water damage. If you think it has been replaced, do not hesitate to ask if it has and why the replacement was necessary. If it was due to the vehicle being submerged in water, then this is a vehicle that you probably do not want. You could have a full inspection done by a mechanic that you trust, however, if this is the exact make and model that you want.
Check the trunk and inside the dashboard for signs of rust. Checking around the taillights in the trunk is especially advised, because this is a typical spot where rust will build up if the car has been submerged.
The engine also needs to be checked. If the car was driven into a lake or a river, then the possibility that silt, sand, or mud has gotten into the engine is pretty large. These items can completely ruin an engine beyond repair, even though they may run for a short period of time.
If mold has started to grow in the interior carpet or upholstery, then the vehicle will have a fairly musty smell to it. If you stick your head inside the car and smell air freshener, however, you might want to be careful from that point forward. Air freshener is sometimes used to cover up undesired smells and give you the impression that the car is in better condition than it really is.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
North Carolina Water Damage Restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Diseases Caused by Mold Exposure
We all know that mold poses a pretty good sized threat to our health, but the diseases that come about because of mold are some of the most serious around. These diseases almost always end in the suffix of “mycosis” or simply “osis” and they can sometimes end in damage to your internal organs that is often irreparable. They can also sometimes eventually result in death in the most extreme of cases.
These diseases are the most threatening for those people who have weakened immune systems. This can include small children (especially infants), those with HIV or AIDS, and the elderly who have any kind of health problems. Perfectly healthy small children and elderly people might fight off these infections a little better than some of their peers, but it is still not recommended that these people be exposed to mold for a long period of time.
The symptoms of diseases caused by mold can be anything from flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, coughing, and sneezing all the way to more serious symptoms like the coughing up of blood. Anti-fungal medications can also pose a threat, since these medications can sometimes cause the exact symptoms that they are being prescribed to treat. Almost any doctor that gives a patient antifungal medication will request the patient to come back and lab work be done on a regular basis in order to spot these possible side effects before they move into their next stage.
When you have a mold-related disease, one of the things that you should not do is eat foods that have been manufactured using funguses like mold. This includes things like blue cheese and blue cheese dressing, roguefort, and gorgonzola cheeses, and especially foods that contain mushrooms.
Aspergillosis is caused by those molds that are in the genus Aspergillus. One of the most intriguing and dangerous things about this is that what are called “aspergilloma” have been known to start growing in the lungs and other organs that have pre-existing cavities in them. These cavities can be a result of cancer or a disease that has a similar effect to tuberculosis. Unfortunately, aspergilloma typically do not cause the person to have any symptoms, although in later stages a person might cough up blood, experience weight loss, shortness of breath, and fever.
Penicilliosis is an opportunistic infection that occurs mainly in southeast Asia where the mold that causes it is indigenous. The vast majority of those who develop this infection are those that have HIV and AIDS and it is the third most common opportunistic infection for these individuals in the region.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
These diseases are the most threatening for those people who have weakened immune systems. This can include small children (especially infants), those with HIV or AIDS, and the elderly who have any kind of health problems. Perfectly healthy small children and elderly people might fight off these infections a little better than some of their peers, but it is still not recommended that these people be exposed to mold for a long period of time.
The symptoms of diseases caused by mold can be anything from flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, coughing, and sneezing all the way to more serious symptoms like the coughing up of blood. Anti-fungal medications can also pose a threat, since these medications can sometimes cause the exact symptoms that they are being prescribed to treat. Almost any doctor that gives a patient antifungal medication will request the patient to come back and lab work be done on a regular basis in order to spot these possible side effects before they move into their next stage.
When you have a mold-related disease, one of the things that you should not do is eat foods that have been manufactured using funguses like mold. This includes things like blue cheese and blue cheese dressing, roguefort, and gorgonzola cheeses, and especially foods that contain mushrooms.
Aspergillosis is caused by those molds that are in the genus Aspergillus. One of the most intriguing and dangerous things about this is that what are called “aspergilloma” have been known to start growing in the lungs and other organs that have pre-existing cavities in them. These cavities can be a result of cancer or a disease that has a similar effect to tuberculosis. Unfortunately, aspergilloma typically do not cause the person to have any symptoms, although in later stages a person might cough up blood, experience weight loss, shortness of breath, and fever.
Penicilliosis is an opportunistic infection that occurs mainly in southeast Asia where the mold that causes it is indigenous. The vast majority of those who develop this infection are those that have HIV and AIDS and it is the third most common opportunistic infection for these individuals in the region.
Jim Corkern is a writer and respected contributor to the Water damage restoration and mold remediation Industry. Visit his sites for more information.
http://www.floodingct.info
http://www.floodedbasementnj.info
Discard Molded Foods
If we all kept our refrigerators cleaned out along with keeping an eye on what outdated items exist in it, we would probably all have healthier meals throughout the day. Most people, however, tend to forget just how important cleaning out their fridges can be and just accept the fact that foods will become moldy and that you will have to throw away a fair portion of the food that you store every year. There are a few things that you can do to prevent mold from growing in your refrigerator, but one of the best things is just to simply keep track of what food is in your refrigerator and how long it has been in there.
Some outdated items are fine as long as they have not been opened. Even things like mayonnaise or sour cream can last quite a while as long as they are still in sealed containers. But, after these are opened, their shelf life drastically decreases and the chance that mold will start to grow inside them goes up significantly. When you break the seal on an item such as this, you let the air in your home and your refrigerator inside the container. If mold spores are in the air in your home (and they probably are), these will get inside the container, as well. This does not mean that they will start to grow immediately, but the longer it remains uneaten, the bigger the chance that it will become the home of a mold colony.
Something else to keep an eye on is sour cream. Sour cream is notorious for becoming molded and this is unfortunately one of the foods that cannot be saved once it does. Once you start to see mold spots growing in your tub of sour cream, it is time to throw it out. This is a porous, highly moist food item and like other foods that meet that criteria, once it becomes contaminated by mold on the top, the whole container is, as well.
Other porous items that you might not keep in your refrigerator that are popular with mold are baked items. These are things like bread, cookies, cakes, and just about anything else that you bake in the oven. These should be thrown away and never eaten.
Other moist items in your refrigerator that tend to have mold problems are things like jelly and jam. Other spreads such as marmalade can also become molded if left uneaten long enough, so these should be completely discarded as well as soon as mold spots begin to appear.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration New Jersey and and other states such as
Connecticut Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Some outdated items are fine as long as they have not been opened. Even things like mayonnaise or sour cream can last quite a while as long as they are still in sealed containers. But, after these are opened, their shelf life drastically decreases and the chance that mold will start to grow inside them goes up significantly. When you break the seal on an item such as this, you let the air in your home and your refrigerator inside the container. If mold spores are in the air in your home (and they probably are), these will get inside the container, as well. This does not mean that they will start to grow immediately, but the longer it remains uneaten, the bigger the chance that it will become the home of a mold colony.
Something else to keep an eye on is sour cream. Sour cream is notorious for becoming molded and this is unfortunately one of the foods that cannot be saved once it does. Once you start to see mold spots growing in your tub of sour cream, it is time to throw it out. This is a porous, highly moist food item and like other foods that meet that criteria, once it becomes contaminated by mold on the top, the whole container is, as well.
Other porous items that you might not keep in your refrigerator that are popular with mold are baked items. These are things like bread, cookies, cakes, and just about anything else that you bake in the oven. These should be thrown away and never eaten.
Other moist items in your refrigerator that tend to have mold problems are things like jelly and jam. Other spreads such as marmalade can also become molded if left uneaten long enough, so these should be completely discarded as well as soon as mold spots begin to appear.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
flood water damage restoration New Jersey and and other states such as
Connecticut Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Avoid a Water Damaged Vehicle
Buying a used car is usually a pain in the rear, simply because of the fact that there are so many things that can be wrong with the car. It could be a bad transmission, alternator, carburetor, fuel injector, or any one of a thousand problems that could make you not want a vehicle. Some people buy cars that are “fixer-uppers” simply because of the fact that they are a cheaper buy if they decide to just repair the vehicle on their own. This is typical of mechanics who need a new vehicle, because a lot of the cost of repairing a vehicle comes from paying for the labor, not the actual parts itself.
But, what about water damaged vehicles? Most people do not think about this when they go to buy a vehicle, so they are not sure what to look for.
The first thing you should probably do is smell the interior. You should smell next to nothing. If the smell is a musty odor, then that probably means that mold is growing somewhere inside the vehicle. This could be due to liquid spills inside the car like soda, but it could also be due to the car having been flooded. Look for other signs of water damage if you detect a musty odor. Your prospective vehicle should NOT have been treated with air freshener. This is typically used to cover up musty odors and the dealer you are buying from may be hiding something.
Checking the car’s trunk for buildup of silt, rust, or mud is also a good idea. The area around the taillights should be checked thoroughly, since this is an area where these things will build up most often.
You can get a vehicle history report from a site like Carfax.com, but these are not always reliable. An accident or an incident of flooding will only be on this report if an insurance claim was filed. If the car is in an accident and the insurance company the person is with is not notified, then the incident will not appear on the history report.
Check the electronic parts of the vehicle such as gauges and make sure they are in working order. This can include the fuel gauge and other various indicator lights. Wires in the dashboard and under the steering wheel can be flexed and if they crack, they have probably been exposed to water.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina Water Damage Restoration and and other states such as
Chicago Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
But, what about water damaged vehicles? Most people do not think about this when they go to buy a vehicle, so they are not sure what to look for.
The first thing you should probably do is smell the interior. You should smell next to nothing. If the smell is a musty odor, then that probably means that mold is growing somewhere inside the vehicle. This could be due to liquid spills inside the car like soda, but it could also be due to the car having been flooded. Look for other signs of water damage if you detect a musty odor. Your prospective vehicle should NOT have been treated with air freshener. This is typically used to cover up musty odors and the dealer you are buying from may be hiding something.
Checking the car’s trunk for buildup of silt, rust, or mud is also a good idea. The area around the taillights should be checked thoroughly, since this is an area where these things will build up most often.
You can get a vehicle history report from a site like Carfax.com, but these are not always reliable. An accident or an incident of flooding will only be on this report if an insurance claim was filed. If the car is in an accident and the insurance company the person is with is not notified, then the incident will not appear on the history report.
Check the electronic parts of the vehicle such as gauges and make sure they are in working order. This can include the fuel gauge and other various indicator lights. Wires in the dashboard and under the steering wheel can be flexed and if they crack, they have probably been exposed to water.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina Water Damage Restoration and and other states such as
Chicago Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Mold Health Issues
Everybody knows that mold is unsightly and can cause health problems, but exactly what kinds of health problems are we talking about here? We shouldn’t just be concerned with the respiratory or skin effects of mold, because these are not even close to being the only things that mold can cause in a person.
Mold can produce allergic reactions in people by producing allergens, irritants, and toxic substances called mycotoxins. No matter what kind of mold you’re dealing with, it’s a bad idea to touch it or inhale any of its spores. Some molds can cause cold or flu-like symptoms or in infants, even bleeding of the lungs. Incessant coughing, asthma, allergy symptoms, and vision can occur and even problems with a person’s central nervous system can arise. Abnormal amounts of fatique, headaches, problems with your sinuses, vomiting, and sometimes even cancer can be caused by mold infestations in the home or the workplace. Where mold is concerned, you’re basically playing roulette: you don’t know which number is going to come up or for who.
Air conditioners are one of the worst culprits of spreading mold infestations from one area of the building to the other. They thrust the mold spores up into the air and you inhale them, drawing them into your lungs, and this can be dangerous, especially if you’re one of the people who are particularly at risk for sickness. This includes infants, pets, the elderly, and anyone who has a weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems are those who are pregnant, people who have just had surgery, or those with HIV, AIDs, or other immunodeficiency conditions.
Most people don’t realize that there are so many health complications that can be caused by mold and since this is true, they don’t understand how big of a problem mold can be in the home. They think that they will be alright if they put off removing the mold until they can afford it, but it’s not a good idea.
People with good constitutions and are generally healthy can survive in a home that has a mild amount of mold for a while without any adverse health effects, but staying there without any attempts to treat the home and remove the mold can be a costly mistake. If you discover mold where you live, you should do what you have to in order to get the mold removed or find another place to live.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Mold can produce allergic reactions in people by producing allergens, irritants, and toxic substances called mycotoxins. No matter what kind of mold you’re dealing with, it’s a bad idea to touch it or inhale any of its spores. Some molds can cause cold or flu-like symptoms or in infants, even bleeding of the lungs. Incessant coughing, asthma, allergy symptoms, and vision can occur and even problems with a person’s central nervous system can arise. Abnormal amounts of fatique, headaches, problems with your sinuses, vomiting, and sometimes even cancer can be caused by mold infestations in the home or the workplace. Where mold is concerned, you’re basically playing roulette: you don’t know which number is going to come up or for who.
Air conditioners are one of the worst culprits of spreading mold infestations from one area of the building to the other. They thrust the mold spores up into the air and you inhale them, drawing them into your lungs, and this can be dangerous, especially if you’re one of the people who are particularly at risk for sickness. This includes infants, pets, the elderly, and anyone who has a weakened immune system. People with weakened immune systems are those who are pregnant, people who have just had surgery, or those with HIV, AIDs, or other immunodeficiency conditions.
Most people don’t realize that there are so many health complications that can be caused by mold and since this is true, they don’t understand how big of a problem mold can be in the home. They think that they will be alright if they put off removing the mold until they can afford it, but it’s not a good idea.
People with good constitutions and are generally healthy can survive in a home that has a mild amount of mold for a while without any adverse health effects, but staying there without any attempts to treat the home and remove the mold can be a costly mistake. If you discover mold where you live, you should do what you have to in order to get the mold removed or find another place to live.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Connecticut water damage restoration and other states such as
New Jersey Water Damage Restoration companies across the united states.
Mold Beats Bleach
What’s the one thing that most of us think cleans and disinfects everything you cover in it? Chlorine bleach. Some new evidence suggests that chlorine bleach isn’t the great cleaner that we all think it is and one of the most common misconceptions about it is that it kills mold. Bleach is good to clean a number of things and to preserve the whiteness of white clothing and other items, but as far as being a disinfectant, it doesn’t measure up.
Unless the mold is located on a non-porous surface such as a hard counter top or a kitchen sink, bleach won’t really do anything to get rid of the mold. You can’t get rid of mold with bleach on surfaces like sheetrock, wood, furniture, or any other surface that isn’t hard and solid. Mold often grows inside walls and even if you clean the mold off of the surface of the wall, you still can’t get inside the sheetrock to completely kill the infection. It infests the entire depth of the board and it’s easier to just remove the sheetrock, clean the mold out from the inside of the wall, and replace the sheetrock with new and paperless sheetrock. Mold eats paper and if you put paper inside your wall, you’re helping it build a home inside your new one.
What we do know about bleach is that it does not play well with other chemicals. Many times when we’re on a budget and we’re trying to make the best of what we have on hand, we mix different household chemicals in order to make more cleaning solution to work with or we’re trying to make ourselves feel like the cleaner has become stronger, because it’s been combined with another. Sometimes mixing household chemicals will do no harm, but it’s best not to mix anything with bleach, especially if it contains ammonia. Ammonia and bleach, when combined, will produce toxic fumes that can kill you if you’re not working in a ventilated area. There are better chemicals to use when fighting mold, so the best thing that you can do is stay away from bleach and never mix it with another ammonia-based cleaner. It’s not worth the risk.
The EPA does not define chlorine bleach as a disinfectant that kills mold. There is always a registration number on each and every product that will kill mold, but this label does not appear on any bottle of chlorine bleach currently in circulation.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
Unless the mold is located on a non-porous surface such as a hard counter top or a kitchen sink, bleach won’t really do anything to get rid of the mold. You can’t get rid of mold with bleach on surfaces like sheetrock, wood, furniture, or any other surface that isn’t hard and solid. Mold often grows inside walls and even if you clean the mold off of the surface of the wall, you still can’t get inside the sheetrock to completely kill the infection. It infests the entire depth of the board and it’s easier to just remove the sheetrock, clean the mold out from the inside of the wall, and replace the sheetrock with new and paperless sheetrock. Mold eats paper and if you put paper inside your wall, you’re helping it build a home inside your new one.
What we do know about bleach is that it does not play well with other chemicals. Many times when we’re on a budget and we’re trying to make the best of what we have on hand, we mix different household chemicals in order to make more cleaning solution to work with or we’re trying to make ourselves feel like the cleaner has become stronger, because it’s been combined with another. Sometimes mixing household chemicals will do no harm, but it’s best not to mix anything with bleach, especially if it contains ammonia. Ammonia and bleach, when combined, will produce toxic fumes that can kill you if you’re not working in a ventilated area. There are better chemicals to use when fighting mold, so the best thing that you can do is stay away from bleach and never mix it with another ammonia-based cleaner. It’s not worth the risk.
The EPA does not define chlorine bleach as a disinfectant that kills mold. There is always a registration number on each and every product that will kill mold, but this label does not appear on any bottle of chlorine bleach currently in circulation.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
Houston Fire Damage Water Restoration Contractor companies and
Los Angeles Water Damage and Restoration Services.
General Mold Facts
We might not like it, but it’s something that we have to live with every day: mold is everywhere. It’s an unfortunate fact that there is no real way to get away from mold completely, as it grows everywhere and it’s in all the air around us.
What is mold? Mold is a kind of fungus that grows in countless numbers and almost countless species all over the world. They are every color you can imagine and while most of them won’t hurt human beings and their pets, some kinds are pretty toxic and can grow in your home. They’re not pleasant to look at and can cause any number of health problems, most notably if you happen to be allergic to that particular kind of mold or just mold in general.
It gets inside your home due to the humidity and high level of heat inside or because of water leaking in from outside the building via the basement or due to flood water. Sometimes it’s because a pipe bursts in your laundry room or the bathroom or the toilet overflows and the water isn’t properly cleaned up. Having carpet in the bathroom is a problem all to itself because it loves to soak up water and mold loves anything porous. The steam from the bath tub or the shower sticks to the ceiling and soaks it, as well, creating a breeding ground for these little buggers. Mold loves to eat sheet rock and paint and some of the most common areas in your home to find mold are in the bathroom and the kitchen.
Some people don’t use a hamper or a basket to toss their dirty clothes in when they take a shower or a bath and they leave the clothes in the bathroom closet directly on the floor. Wet rags and towels being thrown in there on top of them or up against the walls can cause mold to grow not only in the closet, but also on your clothes if they’re left in there long enough.
Mold is a big problem for children, pets, people with weakened immune systems, and the elderly. These are the people that are the most at risk when living in a home that’s contaminated by mold. Mold causes conditions and diseases that most people wouldn’t even begin to think of; the conditions are not confined to merely skin rashes and respiratory complications.
Any and everything that’s been found to have mold on it should be washed and thoroughly sterilized before it can be used again, if it can even be used again at all. Depending on the volume of the infestation and how strenuous your schedule is, sometimes it’s easier to just throw things away.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration contractors and
Mold Remediation companies across the united states.
What is mold? Mold is a kind of fungus that grows in countless numbers and almost countless species all over the world. They are every color you can imagine and while most of them won’t hurt human beings and their pets, some kinds are pretty toxic and can grow in your home. They’re not pleasant to look at and can cause any number of health problems, most notably if you happen to be allergic to that particular kind of mold or just mold in general.
It gets inside your home due to the humidity and high level of heat inside or because of water leaking in from outside the building via the basement or due to flood water. Sometimes it’s because a pipe bursts in your laundry room or the bathroom or the toilet overflows and the water isn’t properly cleaned up. Having carpet in the bathroom is a problem all to itself because it loves to soak up water and mold loves anything porous. The steam from the bath tub or the shower sticks to the ceiling and soaks it, as well, creating a breeding ground for these little buggers. Mold loves to eat sheet rock and paint and some of the most common areas in your home to find mold are in the bathroom and the kitchen.
Some people don’t use a hamper or a basket to toss their dirty clothes in when they take a shower or a bath and they leave the clothes in the bathroom closet directly on the floor. Wet rags and towels being thrown in there on top of them or up against the walls can cause mold to grow not only in the closet, but also on your clothes if they’re left in there long enough.
Mold is a big problem for children, pets, people with weakened immune systems, and the elderly. These are the people that are the most at risk when living in a home that’s contaminated by mold. Mold causes conditions and diseases that most people wouldn’t even begin to think of; the conditions are not confined to merely skin rashes and respiratory complications.
Any and everything that’s been found to have mold on it should be washed and thoroughly sterilized before it can be used again, if it can even be used again at all. Depending on the volume of the infestation and how strenuous your schedule is, sometimes it’s easier to just throw things away.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration contractors and
Mold Remediation companies across the united states.
Winter Water Pipe Protection
There is scarce a more trying time on one’s new home than winter. One specifically difficult area to worry about is the water pipes in your house. Obviously, during the winter, it is important to keep these pipes shielded from the freezing temperatures; otherwise, you could have a very bad situation on your hands. This is all the more difficult if you are a first time homeowner.
If the water pipes in your home are not insulated and the temperature is less than 20 degrees, they are at serious risk of freezing and then bursting. A seemingly insignificant crack of only one-eighth of an inch is enough to let 250 gallons of water leak out each day and cause significant water damage in your home. Anything in the vicinity of this water is fair game, be it clothes, furniture, children’s toys, and other things of this nature. On top of soaked items in the home, this could cause danger to your home’s foundation, as the water can cause the foundation to rot, and any metal to rust. This is, of course, excluding the mold that would most certainly follow such a massive leak. The mold is considered by many the most dangerous of these afflictions brought on by water damage, as mold can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. While insurance companies do not cover damage caused by mold, they do, however, cover water damage to an extent.
It is important to know how to protect your home from these bursts. And one of the very first things to be done is to cover all indoor water pipes with insulation. You should make sure that warm air is capable of reaching your pipes during a deep freeze. This can be done by simply putting a space heater in the room with the pipes and opening the cabinets. But, be careful with those space heaters. If you leave them unattended for a long period of time, there is a chance for fire. And definitely do not keep them near anything easily flammable. And it’s also important that you don’t used extension cords, as there is an increased risk for fire, and a fire is worse than burst pipes.
You should check your house for any cracks that water could leak into, because when the water freezes, it will expand and cause further damage. You should also be sure that you disconnect garden hoses and keep a small portion of water running through hot and cold water faucets.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration contractors and
Mold Remediation companies across the united states.
If the water pipes in your home are not insulated and the temperature is less than 20 degrees, they are at serious risk of freezing and then bursting. A seemingly insignificant crack of only one-eighth of an inch is enough to let 250 gallons of water leak out each day and cause significant water damage in your home. Anything in the vicinity of this water is fair game, be it clothes, furniture, children’s toys, and other things of this nature. On top of soaked items in the home, this could cause danger to your home’s foundation, as the water can cause the foundation to rot, and any metal to rust. This is, of course, excluding the mold that would most certainly follow such a massive leak. The mold is considered by many the most dangerous of these afflictions brought on by water damage, as mold can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. While insurance companies do not cover damage caused by mold, they do, however, cover water damage to an extent.
It is important to know how to protect your home from these bursts. And one of the very first things to be done is to cover all indoor water pipes with insulation. You should make sure that warm air is capable of reaching your pipes during a deep freeze. This can be done by simply putting a space heater in the room with the pipes and opening the cabinets. But, be careful with those space heaters. If you leave them unattended for a long period of time, there is a chance for fire. And definitely do not keep them near anything easily flammable. And it’s also important that you don’t used extension cords, as there is an increased risk for fire, and a fire is worse than burst pipes.
You should check your house for any cracks that water could leak into, because when the water freezes, it will expand and cause further damage. You should also be sure that you disconnect garden hoses and keep a small portion of water running through hot and cold water faucets.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
water damage restoration contractors and
Mold Remediation companies across the united states.
Penicilliosis
While Penicillin is a drug manufactured from mold and is used around the world to help fight infections, there are other kinds of penicillium molds that can cause disease. A species of penicillium that is native to Southeast Asia, has been known to cause infections in the region where HIV and AIDs have become epidemic and the condition resulting from these infections has been named Penicilliosis.
Penicilliosis is a kind of infection that is caused by the mold Penicillium marneffei and studies show that it currently the third most occurring opportunistic infection in individuals infected with HIV and AIDS in Southeast Asia. This fungus occurs in high numbers throughout the region and is generally restricted to the area.
As with all molds, it is a fungus at room temperature, but when it makes its way into the body and is heated up to body temperature, it becomes a yeast. The symptoms of such an infection can include skin lesions, generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, anemia, and fever; abdominal pain has also been noted along with weight loss. Sometimes the skin lesions can appear on the ears, fingers, toes, genitalia, and on the face. Cases of pneumonia have been reported to occur, as well. The most often occurring symptom of penicilliosis is a skin rash that forms small bumps on the surface of the skin and they often have ulceration and this commonly happens on the upper part of the body.
While the mold that causes this condition is endemic to Southeast Asia, anyone traveling to the region is at risk to become infected; however, it rarely occurs in individuals who do not have a weakened immune system. Anyone who has HIV or AIDS is advised to either be extremely careful if traveling to the region or to not travel to the region at all.
Without treatment, these infections have quite a high mortality rate and even with treatment, the mortality rate hovers at around twenty percent. Before AIDS became an epidemic, cases of this mold causing any kind of infection were rare.
Biopses of lymph nodes, bone marrow, and skin lesions can detect the presence of the fungi. The fungal cultures that are grown from the swabbing of skin lesions or other samples taken from a person’s body are characterized by a flat green surface and a deep red color underneath. Antifungal therapy with amphotericin, followed by maintenance treatment with a drug called itraconazole is recommended.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
Connecticut water damage restoration companies across the united states.
Penicilliosis is a kind of infection that is caused by the mold Penicillium marneffei and studies show that it currently the third most occurring opportunistic infection in individuals infected with HIV and AIDS in Southeast Asia. This fungus occurs in high numbers throughout the region and is generally restricted to the area.
As with all molds, it is a fungus at room temperature, but when it makes its way into the body and is heated up to body temperature, it becomes a yeast. The symptoms of such an infection can include skin lesions, generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, anemia, and fever; abdominal pain has also been noted along with weight loss. Sometimes the skin lesions can appear on the ears, fingers, toes, genitalia, and on the face. Cases of pneumonia have been reported to occur, as well. The most often occurring symptom of penicilliosis is a skin rash that forms small bumps on the surface of the skin and they often have ulceration and this commonly happens on the upper part of the body.
While the mold that causes this condition is endemic to Southeast Asia, anyone traveling to the region is at risk to become infected; however, it rarely occurs in individuals who do not have a weakened immune system. Anyone who has HIV or AIDS is advised to either be extremely careful if traveling to the region or to not travel to the region at all.
Without treatment, these infections have quite a high mortality rate and even with treatment, the mortality rate hovers at around twenty percent. Before AIDS became an epidemic, cases of this mold causing any kind of infection were rare.
Biopses of lymph nodes, bone marrow, and skin lesions can detect the presence of the fungi. The fungal cultures that are grown from the swabbing of skin lesions or other samples taken from a person’s body are characterized by a flat green surface and a deep red color underneath. Antifungal therapy with amphotericin, followed by maintenance treatment with a drug called itraconazole is recommended.
Jim Corkern is a writer and promoter of quality
South Carolina flood water damage restoration and other states such as
Connecticut water damage restoration companies across the united states.
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